Re: Deer/fishing

I read a very interesting article in Blue Planet recently on how in years 
back the fish that fishermen caught were much larger and more 
plentiful.....and it wasn't due to the "caught a fish THIS big" story, they 
actually were larger.  The article said this came from the fact that 
fishermen were out for the trophy fish and thus over the years that left only 
the smaller fish to breed.  The article stated that a large fish lays more 
eggs and produces larger fish, taking many smaller fish to produce the same 
amount of eggs.  The article stated that a several hundered pound fish was 
average, and now the same species of fish that weighs a hundred pounds is 
considered a trophy.  The article speculated about the future of the oceans 
populations if this continues.

I would think that is the same with deer perhaps.  We personally don't hunt 
and I detest seeing the trucks with the deer strapped to the 
tailgates....however have friends that do hunt (not for trophies).   They 
said that most hunters go for the largest deer and leave the sickly, smaller, 
or disabled ones behind.  This in return leaves the less fit for 
reproduction.   He attributed this to the diseases, smaller animals, and 
other problems that are more prevelant now than in past years.

Unfortunately I don't have the magazine, read it at a doc's office. Would 
have like to give it to dh to read,  since dh is an avid catch and release 
fishermen who has noticed the decline.

Noreen
zone 9
Texas Gulf Coast

In a message dated 12/11/2002 8:43:19 PM Central Standard Time, 
lja@direcway.com writes:


> 
> Trophy hunting does tend to reduce the healthy male population and leave
> disproportionate numbers of does to reproduce.  

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